


Compassion from the Storming Clouds

by littlebluewhalen



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Divorce, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Issues, Forgiveness, Hurt/Comfort, it was written in the stars my darling, lukewarm but hopeful ending, mentions of abuse, oh to find healing in one another, shortaki, teenage hardships, to love and be loved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:42:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22444285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlebluewhalen/pseuds/littlebluewhalen
Summary: A quick one-shot about Helga finding her place in the world; right next to Arnold's side.
Relationships: Helga Pataki/Arnold Shortman
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Compassion from the Storming Clouds

“My love,” She said warmly, gathering him into her arms immediately. He was no longer shorter than her; they were about the same height, after all these years. 

“Helga,” He breathed her name like she was the food he’d been starving for, a whisper on the wind, a light in the dark – “Helga, you made it.”

She smiled faintly at him as she put her bag down lightly on his floor after ambling in through his window. 

“I said I would, so I did. You know I keep my promises, my darling.” She replied, letting him go only to look into his eyes, caressing his face softly, tenderly, before lightly meeting her lips to his. She felt his smile, and she was just as lovesick as he.

“I know, I know. I just don’t want you to put yourself into danger. If you have to break a few promises to stay safe, that’s okay. _I_ promise.” He responded, pulling her ever-closer, an arm around her waist, his other hand holding hers, running his fingers over her knuckles softly. 

“The day that my shitty father stops me from seeing you is the day I’ll walk into hell.” She responded, steel in her voice and eyes, but never directed towards him, not anymore. He sighed and nodded, bumping his forehead against hers. 

“And you know I feel the same. I’m sorry you always have to come in through the window. Someday, my family will be more accepting. I know it, I swear it.” He whispered, frustration and resignation lacing his tone. Helga kissed his nose lightly.

“I know, my love, I know. You can’t really blame them, or… anyone else, for that matter, though. Not with how I… how I used to treat you.” She sighed again, kissing his forehead, then breaking from his hold and sitting gently on his bed. 

He sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulder; he had long forgiven her for her cruel treatment, even though she hadn’t really forgiven herself, nor had anyone else. Well, except Phoebe, of course; but Phoebe had known from the start why she was the way she was, and she had accepted her, and helped her along the way. Helga never dared be mean or biting to Phoebe anymore; the girl had stuck by her fiercely all these years, and Helga's gratefulness for her saw no end. After all, Phoebe and Arnold really were her only friends. Gerald had been coming around, but he wasn’t really there, not yet. 

They were 16-going-on-17-years-olds now. Helga’s family had fallen apart once her mom divorced Big Bob; she had intended to leave with Miriam at 13, but the court found Bob to be the more suitable parent; he had the house, the money and the right environment to raise her in, they said. They ignored her pleas and protests, and now she was stuck in a house as the sole source – and target – for Bobs’ frustrations. 

She saw Miriam every other weekend, as was allowed by law. She was doing better; kicked her drinking habit, found a man who treated her like she hung the stars in the sky. Helga was happy for her. 

Olga had gotten married and had two kids of her own, now. She and Helga still talked and kept in contact; Olga brought her family around sometimes, and Helga loved those little kids to death. They were one of the things that kept her going; Olga had been made aware of her own problems, and with the help of her incredibly supportive husband, entered therapy and was on the road to healing. Helga made sure to love the kids with everything in her, like her parents had never done. 

All of that helped her deal with her father’s abusive tendencies. He had only hit her a few times over the years; it was the controlling, the manipulation, the verbal abuse she couldn’t get past. She had gone from being neglected for her entire life to being watched like a hawk. The only times she could see her beloved were when she snuck out at 2 in the morning, like she was doing now.   
She found it was much easier to cope with her life when she had Arnold on her team, instead of using him as an emotional punching bag. He held her tight and protected her against the cruelties of the world, and some nights she would come in unannounced (he always left his window unlocked for her), and she would curl up against him, his sleepy arms reaching out to circle around her, pulling her close.   
He would listen to her rants and try to help in any way he could. He also called her out on her bullshit, held her accountable, and made her be a better person despite everything. He saw her – really saw her ¬– and he loved every piece, every part of her that made her Helga. 

His Helga.

“I’m so glad I have you. I’m sorry.” She said quietly into the night, into the space that existed only between them. 

“I know. It’s okay.” He responded, like he had many times before, like he would do many times again. 

Her torment had gotten worse over the years, from mocking and light irritations, to outright nasty insults and even sometimes a punch or two. That was years ago, now; that had stopped when she was 13, when her world came crashing down around her, when his parents forbade her from coming near him, or _so help them._

_You may have helped us come back to him,_ she remembers their voices ringing so clearly in her ears, _but he can do without you now. If we see you harass him again, you’ll wish you’d never gone into the jungle to find us._

Helga shuddered still when she remembered how severe Stella’s voice was. She couldn’t blame the woman; she had just witnessed her son get punched in the stomach outside of his own house, after all.

Arnold’s family had been… not the most forgiving. The only one that even liked Helga still was Pookie (and Phil to an extent), and Helga was eternally grateful for that. Arnold had told his family they were dating, and though his parents tried to make him break it off, he blatantly refused. His family saw the changes in Helga but were still wary of her. They didn’t want their son to be in an abusive relationship, after all. 

That’s why it was easier to just see each other this way, at school or in the wee hours of the night, where they could just exist without any problems. 

Most of their peers have left Helga alone, for the most part. They didn’t know that she and Arnold were dating or had been dating for close to a year. She refused to tell them; the inevitable fallout just wasn’t worth it right now. She couldn’t handle more on her plate.

“I don’t know what you see in me, but I’m glad you see it. I can’t wait until I can get the fuck out of here, with you.” Helga said once again, loftily, leaning into her beau. Arnold laughed lightly. 

“I see a lot. And I know. Once we figure out what we’re doing with our lives, we’ll move away from your dad. Away from our classmates.” He murmured, turning to kiss the top of her hair. She smiled. 

“But not too far away from your family.” She finished. This was part of the agreement they’d made months ago; they’d move away for Helga’s sake, but not too far away, for Arnold’s. Arnold wanted to go into humanitarian work, and Helga simply wanted to be happy. She figured that she’d do fine in social services, helping kids so they didn’t turn out like her. Or if she could simply publish her poetry and reach people like that, she’d be content. 

“Exactly, baby.” He kissed her cheek and laid down, pulling her with him. She laid next to him, put her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat; his heartbeat that rang so loudly, so calmly, for her and solely her. She grinned and nuzzled into his chest. 

She was rough around the edges still. She could be mean and biting when she wanted to be, and generally unphased around most people, not giving most the time of day. No one understood her or how she ticked, and no one would ever understand her and Arnold, but every day she was becoming better. And for them, that was enough. 

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” She whispered, “If I had nothing, I’d still have you. And that’s more than enough.” She finished, splaying her hand over his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his chest. 

They stayed there, in the gleam of the moonlight, reveling in each other’s presence. Nothing was perfect, and nothing would ever be perfect. But at least, for a few hours with only the stars as their witness, they could be okay together.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun Fact, this is based on a deep dream I had the other night, only the dream was darker, sadder, and made no sense. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this break from reality. ~


End file.
